NW Kid Chaser

My gracious sister let us borrow her DVD boxed set of the BBC Planet Earth series and now my whole family is obsessed. Dinner dishes have never been so quickly cleaned as we scramble to complete our chores, so that we can sit down on the couch and fire-up the next movie.

The photography, the subject matter, and the behind-the-scenes stories featured in this series are absolutely outstanding. Said to be the most expensive nature documentary ever filmed, I respond: Well worth it!

As the stories of places and animals across-the-globeare told, my family sits there speechless. Well actually... it's more like quiet-for-a-minute followed by:

With 5 DVDs in the series(featuring Mountains, Caves, Seasonal Forests, Great Plains, Desserts, and two others per disk) each and every segment has been remarkable. I'm learning new things about this amazing planet. My kids are seeing the amazing work of biologists and film crews. It really is amazing stuff that almost leaves us speechless. Almost... becausewhen watching a walrus protect her young from a hungry polar bear we scream:

Several parts of the series are available for on-line watching (here and here), but I recommend buying the set as a gift for the eight year old child (and older) that you love.Of course, if you want to break open the pack and watch it first - I totally understand and I add: Well worth it!

These homemade ornament bird feeders make fabulous presents for teachers and neighbors. A love filled shout-out to Grandma who gave us these recipe-directions and oversaw the very busy hands who created these treasures!

What to do:1) To create each feeder’s perch, center 1 twig at the bottom of the cookie cutter’s inside surface, making it flush with the back of cutter. Secure it in place with thin stream of hot glue. Repeat with other cutters.

2) To create each feeder’s hanging loop, thread 1 raffia length through each cutter. Pull raffia halfway through, making equal lengths on both sides and centered over the perch. Tie in double knot and tie second knot 4-6 inches above first knot. Finish with a bow.

3)Cover a flat surface/cookie sheet with sheets of wax paper. Arrange the cutters on top of the wax paper.

5) Remove from heat & stir in cornmeal. The mix will be consistency of a thin sauce. It will thicken as it cools. Let cool until mix is lightly set and cool enough to touch (30 minutes to an hour).

6) Now little fingers can help! Rub cooking oil on fingers so not so sticky. Fill the cookie cutters with mix, using fingers to press in. Continue to pack all cutters. If the mix hardens too much while packing cutters, simply reheat.

It’s fun to put a feeder in a tree near your window and watch the birds enjoy the treat. Keep the empty cookie cutter and refill next year. The birds will thank you!

I can’t believe it has been two years since my boys and I raised Monarch Butterflies here at home. My oldest son still talks about it and my youngest still thinks every butterfly he sees may just be the one we released.

A gift from dear family friends, our caterpillars arrived with enough fresh milkweed to help them grow (and oh, how they grow) and transform into beautiful Monarchs. The boys were enthralled by it all and we were lucky enough to see the exact moment of transformation from caterpillar to pupa and pupa to butterfly. The bookshelf in our kitchen became our own private Discovery Channel!

These short term pets make a great birthday gift, science project, and/or just family fun! I’ve seen kits purchased from other farms, but have been most impressed by the business below. The fresh milkweed and the large Monarchs offer a great “ahhh” factor. No need to but extra materials, the simple $10 kit allows you to raise and then simply release these beautiful creatures. Remembering it all, makes me want to order some more this summer!